Lone Worker Policy

1. Introduction and Policy Statement

Imperial Security is a leading UK-based security service provider, headquartered at 152 City Road, London, EC1V 2NX. We deliver a comprehensive range of licensed, insured and fully vetted security services to businesses across London and throughout the United Kingdom, including security guarding, door supervision, event security, retail security, corporate security, warehouse security, close protection, key holding and CCTV monitoring, among others.

Many of our security personnel are required, by the nature of the role, to work alone or in situations where they are physically separated from supervisors and colleagues for extended periods. This includes but is not limited to security officers undertaking solo patrols, key holding call-outs, mobile patrol rounds, lone monitoring duties and overnight guarding assignments.

Imperial Security recognises that lone working presents specific health, safety and welfare risks that require structured management. This policy sets out the framework by which the Company identifies those risks, puts in place appropriate controls, and ensures that every lone worker is protected, supported and able to carry out their duties safely.

We are committed to ensuring, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of all employees, agency workers, contractors and subcontractors who work alone on our behalf. This commitment is fully compliant with our legal obligations under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 and all relevant guidance issued by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

2. Purpose and Scope

2.1 Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to:

• Establish a clear definition of lone working as it applies to Imperial Security operations
• Identify the categories of employee and contractor to whom this policy applies
• Detail the risk assessment obligations placed upon the Company and its personnel
• Set out the practical controls, communication protocols and monitoring systems that must be in place
• Define the responsibilities of managers, supervisors and lone workers themselves
• Outline the emergency procedures to be followed in the event of an incident involving a lone worker
• Ensure ongoing compliance with all applicable UK legislation, regulation and SIA licensing conditions

2.2 Scope

This policy applies to all individuals who carry out work on behalf of Imperial Security whilst alone, including:

• Directly employed security officers and guards
• Door supervisors deployed to single-operative assignments
• Mobile patrol officers conducting solo rounds
• Key holding response officers attending call-outs unaccompanied
• CCTV monitoring operatives working in remote or isolated control rooms
• Close protection officers working in advance or solo-cover scenarios
• Warehouse and construction site security personnel working nightshifts alone
• Retail security officers assigned to single-person deployments
• Agency workers, casual staff, self-employed contractors and subcontractors acting on our behalf

This policy does not apply where two or more security personnel are deployed together on the same site at the same time, unless one of those persons moves to a location where they are no longer in direct contact with the other.

3. Legal and Regulatory Framework

Imperial Security operates within a robust regulatory environment. The following legislation and guidance directly informs this Lone Worker Policy:

4. Definition of a Lone Worker

For the purposes of this policy, a lone worker is defined as any person who works by themselves, without close or direct supervision, in a location where they cannot be easily assisted by another member of staff.

Within Imperial Security operations, lone working commonly arises in the following contexts:

Solo Site Guarding

A security officer posted to a site where they are the only member of security personnel on duty. This includes overnight guarding assignments at commercial premises, warehouses, construction sites and educational establishments.

Mobile Patrol Operations

An officer undertaking scheduled or reactive patrol rounds across multiple sites in a single shift, travelling between locations without a co-worker. Officers may be physically isolated between patrols and during site checks.

Key Holding and Emergency Response

An officer responding alone to a key holding alarm activation, attending a site during unsociable hours, often at night or during weekends and bank holidays, frequently in unknown or potentially hazardous conditions.

Remote CCTV Monitoring

An operative staffing a remote or client-site monitoring station without a colleague present. Whilst the work is sedentary, the isolation, unsociable hours and potential for sudden escalation create genuine lone worker risks.

Retail Security Single-Officer Deployments

An officer deployed as the sole security presence within a retail environment. Contact with the public including potentially aggressive or intoxicated individuals creates specific risks when no colleague is on site.

Advance and Solo Close Protection

A close protection officer conducting an advance recce, or covering a short transit without a full team, who is separated from colleagues during an operational period.

5. Risk Assessment

5.1 General Obligation

Imperial Security shall ensure that a suitable and sufficient risk assessment is carried out for every role, post and operational scenario that involves lone working. Risk assessments will be reviewed:

• Prior to a new deployment or contract commencing
• Following any incident, near miss or change in circumstances on an existing deployment
• At least annually as part of routine review
• When a lone worker reports a concern about their safety
• When legislation, HSE guidance or SIA requirements are updated

5.2 Factors Assessed

Risk assessments for lone working will take into account, as a minimum, the following factors:

6. Controls and Protective Measures

Following the completion of a risk assessment, Imperial Security will implement a combination of the following controls, proportionate to the level of risk identified:

6.1 Lone Worker Monitoring Systems

All lone workers deployed by Imperial Security must be enrolled on our approved lone worker monitoring system. This may include:

• Dedicated lone worker safety apps or devices that allow the officer to check in at defined intervals
• Automated escalation alerts triggered if an officer fails to confirm their safety within an agreed timeframe
• GPS tracking functionality to confirm officer location during mobile patrols and response call-outs
• Two-way communication channels accessible at all times during the shift
• Man-down detection functionality where available and appropriate to the deployment

6.2 Regular Check-In Protocols

All lone workers must adhere to check-in schedules as defined in their operational briefing. Standard check-in intervals are as follows, though site-specific requirements may vary:

6.3 Communication Equipment

Every lone worker will be provided with, or is required to carry, suitable and functioning communication equipment throughout their deployment. This includes:

• A fully charged mobile telephone with emergency contacts pre-programmed
• A lone worker safety device or app, where issued by the Company
• Site-specific radio or intercom systems, where applicable
• Emergency contact numbers for Imperial Security's control room and out-of-hours response team

Officers must check that their equipment is fully charged and operational prior to commencing any lone working deployment. Failure of communication equipment must be reported immediately to a supervisor and, where the risk cannot be adequately managed, the deployment must be suspended until the issue is resolved.

6.4 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and Safety Aids

Where identified as necessary by risk assessment, lone workers may be issued with:

• High-visibility clothing for outdoor and mobile patrol deployments
• Torches or illumination devices for night-time assignments
• Protective footwear appropriate to the environment
• Body-worn cameras, where permissible under applicable data protection law and with appropriate signage in place
• First aid kits and any personal medical equipment as required
• Incapacitant spray, where the officer is licensed and the deployment justifies its use

6.5 Pre-Deployment Briefing

Prior to every lone working assignment, the officer must receive and confirm receipt of a deployment briefing covering:

• Site address, layout and access arrangements
• Known hazards and any site-specific risks
• Client contact details and any instructions from the client
• Agreed check-in schedule and monitoring arrangements
• Emergency procedures, including the location of the nearest emergency services
• Any individuals or situations that may pose an elevated risk
• The name and contact details of the officer's designated supervisor for the shift

7. Roles and Responsibilities

7.1 Imperial Security Senior Management

The senior management team holds overall accountability for the implementation and review of this policy. Senior management will:

• Ensure that adequate resources are allocated to support safe lone working practices
• Approve and maintain this policy, reviewing it annually or following significant incidents
• Ensure that all contracts and deployments are assessed for lone working risk prior to commencement
• Champion a culture in which safety is never compromised in favour of operational expediency

7.2 Operations Managers and Supervisors

Operational managers and supervisors are responsible for the day-to-day management of lone worker safety. Their responsibilities include:

• Carrying out or commissioning site-specific lone worker risk assessments
• Ensuring that all lone workers have received appropriate training and are competent to work alone
• Maintaining the check-in schedule and responding promptly to missed check-ins
• Ensuring that all equipment issued to lone workers is fit for purpose and properly maintained
• Keeping accurate records of lone worker deployments, incidents and near misses
• Conducting welfare checks on officers undertaking extended or high-risk lone deployments
• Investigating any incident or near miss involving a lone worker and implementing corrective actions

7.3 Lone Workers Individual Officers

Every security officer deployed as a lone worker has personal responsibilities under this policy and under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. These responsibilities are:

• To cooperate fully with the Company's lone worker safety arrangements and follow all procedures
• To attend and engage with all relevant lone worker training
• To carry out all required check-ins at the agreed times and to use monitoring technology correctly
• To report any equipment faults, site hazards or concerns about personal safety without delay
• To report all incidents, near misses and situations that caused or could have caused harm
• To avoid undertaking tasks that fall outside the scope of their risk assessment or briefing without first consulting their supervisor
• To not undertake a lone working deployment if they feel unwell, impaired or otherwise unfit to work safely alone
• To complete a site handover with any departing colleague before becoming a lone worker on a site

8. Training and Competency

Imperial Security is committed to ensuring that no individual is deployed as a lone worker without first receiving appropriate training. All training is documented and records are maintained on each officer's personnel file.

8.1 Induction Training

All new employees and contractors who are likely to work alone must complete lone worker induction training prior to their first lone deployment. This training covers:

• What lone working means and the specific risks it presents in a security context
• This Lone Worker Policy in full
• How to use the Company's monitoring system, lone worker app or device
• Check-in protocols and escalation procedures
• Emergency procedures and how to summon assistance
• Conflict avoidance and de-escalation techniques
• First aid awareness

8.2 Ongoing and Refresher Training

Refresher training will be provided at least every 12 months, or sooner if:

• The officer has been involved in or witness to a lone worker incident
• Significant changes are made to this policy or to the officer's deployment arrangements
• A supervisor identifies that the officer is not adhering to lone worker procedures
• New technology or monitoring systems are introduced

8.3 Specialist Training

Where a deployment presents specific and elevated risks such as key holding call-outs in high-crime areas, or solo guarding of complex sites additional specialist training will be provided. This may include:

• Physical intervention and restraint training (where applicable to the licence held)
• Advanced conflict management and lone worker de-escalation
• Dealing with mental health crises in the workplace
• Emergency first aid at work

9. Emergency Procedures

9.1 If a Lone Worker Fails to Check In

If a lone worker fails to check in at the agreed time, the following escalation procedure will be initiated immediately by the supervising officer or control room operative:

9.2 If a Lone Worker Activates an Alarm or Requests Assistance

If a lone worker activates a personal attack alarm, man-down alert or otherwise signals that they require urgent assistance:

• The control room or supervisor must treat the alert as a genuine emergency unless and until it is confirmed otherwise
• Emergency services (999) must be called immediately if there is any suggestion of risk to life
• The Company's emergency response procedure must be activated without delay
• A record must be made of the exact time the alert was received and all subsequent actions taken
• No lone worker should be instructed to stand down an emergency alert without first being verbally confirmed safe by a supervisor

9.3 If a Lone Worker Encounters a Violent or Threatening Situation

Officers deployed as lone workers who encounter a violent, threatening or dangerous situation must follow the guidance below:

• Do not attempt to physically intervene in any situation that poses an immediate risk to your personal safety
• Withdraw to a place of safety as quickly as possible
• Dial 999 and provide your exact location and a clear description of the situation
• Activate your lone worker alarm or personal attack alarm if it is safe to do so
• Contact your supervisor as soon as it is safe
• Do not return to the scene without police clearance or supervisor instruction
• Document the incident as fully as possible as soon as it is safe to do so

10. Incident Reporting and Investigation

Imperial Security maintains a zero-tolerance approach to the under-reporting of incidents, near misses or welfare concerns involving lone workers. Officers are encouraged and expected to report all relevant events without fear of recrimination.

10.1 What Must Be Reported

The following must be reported by all lone workers to their supervisor as soon as practicable:

• Any incident involving violence, threat of violence, or intimidation
• Any activation of a personal attack alarm or man-down alert, regardless of whether it was a false alarm
• Any situation in which the officer felt unsafe or where the risk assessment proved inadequate
• Any failure of communication equipment or monitoring systems
• Any injury, illness or other health concern arising during a lone deployment
• Any near miss i.e. any event that could have resulted in harm but did not
• Any situation in which the officer was unable to carry out a required check-in

10.2 RIDDOR Obligations

Imperial Security will report all incidents as required under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR). This includes any lone worker incident resulting in death, a specified injury, an over-seven-day incapacitation, or a dangerous occurrence, as defined under RIDDOR. All such reports will be made to the Health and Safety Executive via the RIDDOR online system at the earliest opportunity.

10.3 Investigation

All incidents and near misses involving lone workers will be subject to a formal investigation by the relevant operations manager. The purpose of the investigation is to identify the root cause, assess whether the risk assessment and controls remain adequate, and implement corrective actions. Investigation findings will be documented and shared with relevant staff.

11. Worker Welfare and Wellbeing

Imperial Security recognises that lone working can place significant psychological as well as physical demands on our people. We are committed to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of all lone workers, particularly those undertaking demanding or high-risk deployments.

11.1 Post-Incident Support

Any officer who has been involved in a traumatic or distressing incident whilst working alone will be offered:

• An immediate welfare debrief with their supervisor
• Access to our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) or an equivalent confidential counselling service
• Temporary redeployment to a lower-risk assignment whilst recovering, where this is operationally feasible
• Phased return to lone working duties following a period of absence related to a work-related incident

11.2 Ongoing Welfare Monitoring

Supervisors should be alert to signs of stress, fatigue or disengagement in officers undertaking regular lone working deployments. Regular welfare conversations distinct from operational briefings should be held at least monthly with officers regularly deployed as lone workers. Officers are encouraged to raise any concerns about their welfare, workload or working conditions at any time, and may do so confidentially if they prefer.

11.3 Working Hours and Fatigue

Imperial Security will ensure that lone worker deployments comply with the Working Time Regulations 1998, and will pay particular attention to fatigue management for officers undertaking night shifts, extended shifts or consecutive lone deployments. Officers who feel fatigued and consider it unsafe to continue a lone deployment must report this to their supervisor immediately.

12. Policy Review and Continuous Improvement

This Lone Worker Policy will be reviewed at least annually by Imperial Security's senior management team, and in any of the following circumstances:

• Following any significant incident involving a lone worker
• When legislation, HSE guidance or SIA requirements change
• When new technology, systems or operational practices are introduced
• When concerns are raised by employees, contractors or trade union representatives
• When audit findings or external reviews identify shortcomings

Imperial Security is committed to the continuous improvement of our lone worker safety arrangements. We actively seek feedback from our officers and supervisors and use incident data, near-miss reporting and audit findings to drive meaningful improvements to this policy and our operational practices.